Commanders
by Daughter of Nature
Summary: A series of mostly unconnected Raoul/Kel drabbles written for SMACKDOWN on Goldenlake.
1. Birthday

On Kel's seventeenth birthday, Raoul avoided the celebrations and stayed in his tent. So maybe it sounded a little silly put like that, but the ale was flowing readily out there, and well…Raoul had heard about the last time that a female squire turned seventeen.

Later, of course, he told himself it was fate. Perhaps the gods were laughing at him from up above; it seemed that by hiding from her he'd caused the very thing he'd been trying to avoid. How was he to know that she'd notice he wasn't there and come looking for him? Still…no matter how hard he tried, he didn't regret it.

And apparently, judging by the way that she appeared in his tent the following night, neither did she.


	2. Present

"Do you remember how the other day we were talking about the um, those new brushes? For the horses, I mean."

Kel looked up at him, her cheeks turning a little pink. "Yes."

"Well," said Raoul," I got you one." He held it out to her, dwarfed in his large hand, and Kel took it.

The pink tinge on her face spread and darkened. "Thanks," she said shyly. "I'll use it right away."

Raoul smiled back, his face also reddening.

Buri rolled her eyes and shoved her husband forwards. "This is pathetic," she complained. "Just hurry up and kiss her before we all get old."

………..

Her husband and his former squire turned to stare at her. She shrugged. "It's obvious you both like each other. And quite honestly, it's nauseating to watch all of this present giving and blushes and sideways glances. Get it over and done with, you're supposed to be adults."

Raoul and Kel looked at each other in shock, and then blushed bright red.

Buri snorted. "Deny it all you want, but I've heard you both talking in your sleep about the other."

The colour drained from Raoul's face. "Gods, Buri, I'm so sorry. I never would've-"

"Calm down, you overgrown idiot." She grinned at them. "I was obviously there too, and we were all having a very nice time. So hurry up and kiss her."

………..

"Is it true?" Kel forced herself to look at him, the brush he'd given her still held in her hand.

Raoul gave her a rueful smile. "You weren't supposed to find out."

Buri elbowed him. "And yet you go and buy her a horse brush? Gods, you couldn't get more romantic if you tried."

Kel giggled despite herself. "I like it, it's practical."

"It would also be practical if you kissed each other right now."

"How would that be practical?" they asked in unison.

Buri rolled her eyes. "Just do it."

Raoul eyed Kel. "Can I?"

She nodded, a smile breaking out on her face, so he did.

……….

"Don't you mind?" Kel asked worriedly, her eyes fixed on Buri. That kiss had been wonderful, and she wanted more, but…Buri was her friend too. "He's your husband. I shouldn't come between you."

"I was hoping it'd be more a matter of 'with' rather than 'between'."

Kel looked from Buri to Raoul and back again, confused, before realisation dawned. "_Oh_."

Raoul grinned. "Buri isn't really the conventional type of wife."

Buri let out a sharp cackle. "Thank the gods."

Kel smiled. "So you mean the three of us? Together?"

Buri shrugged. "I'm up for it, but it was just a suggestion."

"No pressure," added Raoul. "Only if you want to."

Kel smiled. "I do."


	3. Beltane

"But it's Beltane," Kel protested.

"So?"

"Exactly."

Kel sighed. "You're a couple. You should go and jump over the embers and then spend time together as a husband and wife. Not with me."

"We're still married when we're with you too," Buri pointed out.

"All three of us are here," Raoul added. "That means we all have sex together. It's the unspoken rule."

Buri elbowed him. "It's not unspoken any more."

He grinned at Kel good-naturedly. "I hope you get my meaning. We want you with us." Kel smiled, and he slung an arm around each of their shoulders. "How about we find somewhere a little more secluded?"


	4. Comfort

The stifled sob caught his ear as he walked past the doorway. Cautiously, he backtracked and peered through the crack in the slightly ajar door. Kel was lying on her bed, her face buried in her arm and her pillow, and her shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs. He was shocked; he hadn't ever seen her lose her mask that badly before. Raoul felt fury building up inside him at whoever had upset his Kel this badly. Well, not _his_ Kel…he couldn't help wishing for it though. Still, she clearly needed comforting. He wasn't sure that she'd like anybody seeing her like…well, this, but surely it was better for him to go in that it would be to leave and have the door open for countless others to see her? He nodded and steeled himself, and then pushed the door softly open.

…….

Kel froze as her bed shifted to accommodate the new weight. "If it's you, then go away," she said, her voice hoarse. "I don't want anything to do with you."

Raoul blinked. Surely she didn't mean him? "It's Raoul," he said awkwardly.

"Oh," she murmured. "Well that's…gods. Embarrassing, but I'm glad you're not him."

He carefully laid his hand on her shoulder, and then left it there when she didn't protest. This was certainly a good start. "I'm glad I'm not him either." He let his hand rub her back gently.

Kel smiled slightly into her pillow. Raoul's presence was nice…comforting. "I'm glad you're you."

……..

"What happened?" Kel didn't seem to mind him touching her back, so he continued to rub it. "Was it that boy….whatshisname?"

Kel gave a small, self-deprecating laugh into the pillow. "It doesn't matter."

"Of course it does. It obviously matters to you, so it matters to me too."

"Whatshisname told me, very frankly, that I'm ugly, boring, and terrible in bed, so he's found somebody better."

Raoul's mouth fell open in shock. "But that's not true!"

"It is. I don't care though…well, I shouldn't, anyway."

"It's not true," he told her fiercely. "You're wonderful and beautiful in every way, and you're far too good for the likes of _him_." He froze. Perhaps he'd let slip a little too much.

………

Silence stretched between them, until finally Kel rolled over and looked at him. Raoul averted his eyes, embarrassed both by his almost blatant admission of love, and the sight of her red, puffy face.

"Do you mean it?" she asked softly.

He nodded. There was no sense in lying now to save himself and harm her. "Every word."

"I didn't think knight masters noticed things like that."

"Former knight master," he corrected, although they both knew what she was getting at. He sighed. "Kel, if you were nothing more to me than a precious former squire, I'd be out there with my sword, hunting down this whatshisname."

"Should I be disappointed that you're not?"

"Oh, I will. Later. I think what I'm trying to say is that you're my first priority."

………

She didn't seem to protest, so he continued. "You're not ugly or boring at all. I don't know about being terrible in bed, but maybe it's him that's terrible. It all depends on personal opinion anyway. He's probably just not very inspiring for you." He stopped to take a breath. "I'm rambling. I truly do think you're beautiful and wonderful in every way."

Kel leaned forwards and put her arms around him, but not before he saw fresh tears streaming down her face.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked, confused.

She laughed and buried her face further against his chest. "I'm just overwhelmed. It's too much to think about all at once…could you just hold me for now?"

Raoul smiled. "Of course."


	5. Shocking

"Really Raoul, don't tell me you brought a lover with you. And especially not this one, she's built like a fortress." Kel's eyebrows shot up and Raoul looked horrified, but his great-aunt didn't even notice. "What happened to that savage girl you married?"

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Buri said cheerfully. She squeezed between her husband and Kel, sliding a hand around each of their waists. Kel caught sight of the mischevious glint in her eye and exchanged a horrified look with Raoul; he'd noticed the same thing. "It's a lovely ball, great-aunt Sebila," Buri told the old woman loudly. "I hope you don't mind me tracking mud across the floor, it's difficult to lose my savage habits."

The old lady looked horrified, but shot Kel a suspicious look. "Well, keep an eye on this feckless overgrown boy," she told Buri loudly. "You're enough of a problem, it'd be a disgrace if he had lovers on the side too."

"You have nothing to worry about, great-aunt Sebila," Buri reassured her. "She's my lover, not Raoul's." She hooked her arm around Kel's neck and pulled her down for a kiss, and Sebila looked horrified.

"_Your_ lover? This really isn't proper!"

Buri laughed and let her hand trail over Raoul's backside as she pulled away and turned to go. "Well, perhaps she's Raoul's lover too," she said, and winked.


	6. Unexpected

"As if the morning sickness, weight gain, and your monthlies stopping wasn't obvious enough."

Kel closed her eyes. "Neal, please? Just do it."

He huffed as Kel lifted her tunic to bare her stomach. "Best friends should not have to do this, you know."

"_Neal_."

He sighed and put his hands gently on her midsection, the air around them shimmering with green light. "I can confirm there is a _thing _growing inside you."

Kel rubbed her eyes wearily. "Surely you've dealt with pregnant women before."

"This is different." His hands were still on her stomach. "Gods Kel, are you sure you're only three months along? It's _huge_."

"I'm sure."

"Gods, it's like you've got a giant growing inside of you." He paled at the realisation, his eyes widening. "Kel, tell me you didn't sleep with your knight master."

She sighed and studied the ceiling. "No comment."


	7. New beginning

At first she'd pretended she hadn't noticed, to be polite. But really, this was getting ridiculous. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Raoul's face turned bright red as she faced him. "You noticed?"

Kel suppressed a smile and nodded.

"I was just admiring you," he said gruffly.

It was Kel's turn to blush. "Admiring me?"

"Well, and thinking."

She swallowed hard. "About what?"

"About us, of course. Haven't you been thinking about us?"

"Well, yes," she admitted.

"And don't you think this is a wonderful new beginning?"

Kel blinked. She'd been expecting him to tell her she was far too young for him. She looked him in the eye and smiled. "Yes, it is."


	8. Distraction

Kel blinked as Neal lowered his sword and stared at her, a puzzled expression on his face.

"What's got you so distracted?" he asked. "Are you sick?" She could see a green glow forming around his hands, so she shook her head hastily.

"I'm fine, really."

"_Fine_? You call missing five blocks in one practice session _fine_? You could've been skewered by Scanrans five times over."

"Neal, must you be so dramatic?"

"Of course. You know you love it. What's distracting you?"

Kel pushed the image of brown hair and deep black eyes and the memories of the night before out of her head. She smiled at him. "Nothing. I'm ready."


	9. For the better

"You know, I wasn't sure what to expect when I heard that there was going to be a girl page."

Kel shifted onto one elbow, watching him and listening closely.

"I didn't think it would affect me all that much, really. But I was happy for Alanna's sake of course, and hoping that you wouldn't fail, because it would disappoint her. And then I was slightly resentful because you were the cause of yet another argument between Alanna and Jon."

Kel opened her mouth, and he quickly wrapped his arm around her in reassurance.

"I know, it was a stupid and unfair thing to think. I don't even know why I told you that…I think that what I'm trying to say is that you've changed my life for the better and I'm glad to know you."

………

Kel smiled up at Raoul and snuggled closer to him. "I'm really glad to know you too," she told him. "Honoured, really. So much more than any words could ever say, after all you've done for me. And to have…this, whatever it is, between us…it's more wonderful than I could ever have imagined."

"Really?"

Kel blinked. "Of course. I wouldn't have said that if I didn't mean it."

He grinned at her; the grin that she now recognised as his wickedly playful grin. The sight of it sent thrills of excitement coursing through her, and she shivered.

Raoul's grinned widened. "Prove it."


	10. Reward

"I knew."

Kel looked at him, puzzled. "Knew what?"

"About your secret benefactor. I helped."

Kel smiled at him. "Really?"

"Yes. Alanna needed someone to get the gifts into the palace. That's how I helped…well, George too."

Kel reached out to touch his hand with hers. "Thank you. Words can't even describe how much those gifts meant, still mean, to me."

He grinned and caught her hand in his. "What's this? Are you planning on rewarding me?"

Kel laughed and rolled on top of him. "I wasn't planning to, but since you mention it…"

"Hey," said a voice from the doorway. They both turned to see Alanna, her violet eyes grinning at them. "It was all my idea in the first place."


	11. Crowd

Kel looked between the Lioness and Raoul, seeing the grins on their faces. She couldn't help but blush, considering the position that she and Raoul had been caught in, but the Lioness didn't seem bothered at all. In fact, it seemed as though she wanted to join in.

"Well?" Alanna looked from Raoul to Kel and back.

Raoul grinned. "I'm happy with it."

Violet eyes met Kel's and she gulped and nodded, feeling both overwhelmed and inexplicably excited at the same time.

Alanna was just starting to shed her clothes when yet another voice spoke up from the doorway. "You weren't going to start without me, were you?" Buri eyed the three of them. "You know that these things are always much more fun with me here."


	12. True love

"What are you thinking about?"

Kel looked at the Lioness to see violet eyes sparkling back at her. "You look as though you don't need to ask."

Alanna grinned. "I don't. But if I ask you straight out how you're enjoying bedding Raoul, you'll go all shy on me."

Kel fought a blush and looked away.

"See? I told you so. Give me some proper information."

"Well…it's very nice," Kel told her. "I like it."

"I guess that's a good start. What else?"

"…when did you know that you loved your husband?"

Alanna's eyes were focussed on hers. "You love him? Like real love?"

Kel swallowed hard. "I think so."


	13. Morning

Raoul opened his eyes, blinking in the early morning light. It took him a few moments to realise that he felt warmth not on one side of him, but on _both_. Horror coursed through him for several long moments as he wondered what he'd done, but it wasn't long before he realised that he didn't have a hangover and that something must be different. Finding Buri wasn't difficult; she was on the side that the soft, familiar snoring was coming from. On the other side though…Raoul turned his head to find the familiar face of his former squire, and the memories of the night before came flooding back.

The snoring stopped, and Buri's arm slid around his middle. "She looks peaceful, doesn't she?"

She did, and Raoul smiled to himself. He wouldn't mind waking up like this every morning.


	14. Revenge

"You sew, and you sing while you sew."

Raoul grinned up at Buri. "So?"

"Well, I don't think Kel and I realised what a typically feminine man we were getting involved with."

"I'm self sufficient," he protested. "I can keep myself nicely clothed and nicely entertained. And," he added, "I'm going to have to get you for that comment."

A giggle escaped from Kel as Raoul reached for Buri, and his attention shifted to her instead. He raised an eyebrow. "You think it's funny?" A grin spread over his face; he failed completely at staying serious. "I think I'll have to get you too."


End file.
